Fluoroquinolones are a very effective class of antibiotics including levofloxacin (Levaquin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), moxifloxacin (Avelox), ofloxacin, gemifloxacin (Factive), and delafloxacin (Baxdela). They work well for otherwise antibiotic-resistant organisms, and many doctors prescribe them as a first line treatment for infection, just assuming that the responsible organisms might be resistant to [...]
Low libido is a common complaint, and there are certainly a variety of possible causes—including fatigue, stress (though there may be a hormonal aspect to this, too—see below), pain or other chronic illness, relationship issues, body image issues, inhibitions, and past trauma. But most of the time when people bring [...]
I wrote here comparing and contrasting infrared and regular saunas, and along the way discussed benefits of infrared light exposure. What’s the difference between the various uses for red light? Red Light, Infrared Light, and Lasers The primary difference between red and infrared light is where they are on the light [...]
When the body breaks down hemoglobin in red blood cells, it creates byproducts—kryptopyrroles (KPU), and hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL). Most people excrete these in the urine without a problem—but in some cases, they accumulate. This is a problem, because pyrroles and HPL bind to Vitamin B6, and to zinc, causing deficiencies. The [...]
Gas, bloating, alternating constipation and diarrhea are often grouped under the general diagnosis of “IBS” (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). But IBS is a diagnosis that merely describes symptoms—it doesn’t identify the cause. There are many possible causes of IBS, including dysbiosis (overgrowth of bad gut flora), yeast overgrowth, SIBO, food sensitivities, parasites, [...]
I wrote here on parasitic infections generally. But according to the CDC, there are five parasitic diseases on the “Neglected Parasitic Infection” list, worth paying attention to because they are both relatively common, and preventable—though some are more easily treated than others, once contracted. Toxoplasmosis Perhaps best known as a disease [...]
Last week I wrote here on the association between blood type and gastric acid secretion. The conclusion was that Blood Type O produces the highest amount of gastric acid—especially secretors (people with the FUT2 gene that means they secrete their blood type into other types of bodily fluids besides just [...]
From Dr. Lauren Deville - Naturopathic Doctor
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, means that the heart has to push harder than it should to get the blood to the entire body. There are two blood pressure numbers: systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number). Systolic indicates the pressure at the heart’s maximum contraction, while diastolic indicates the remaining pressure when [...]
From Dr. Lauren Deville - Naturopathic Doctor
About 50% of women experience “baby blues,” or a brief period of mild depression for a few days to a few weeks after giving birth. But 10-20% will suffer more severe postpartum depression. Every pregnant woman has very high levels of hormones (estrogen, progesterone, prolactin, and oxytocin) when pregnant, and these hormones plummet precipitously after [...]
From Dr. Lauren Deville - Naturopathic Doctor
I wrote here on the basic theory of what inflammation is. Briefly: in initial stages, inflammation is part of non-specific immunity. It just means something hurts and your immune system calls all hands on deck to deal with it. In later stages, inflammation becomes specific: this means your immune system is carefully targeting a specific invader, [...]
